Multiple-needle detector



March 13, 1928.A 1,662,222

l w. H. WAKEFIELD V MULTIPLE NEEDLE DETECTOR Filed Jan. 5. 192s [fn/enfor M//ef l1.' MME/0f Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER HQWAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ,LSSIGNOR TO CEOMPTON & XNOWLES LOOM WORKS, WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, .A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MULTIPLE-NEEDLE DETECTOR.

Application ledanuary 5, 1926. Serial No. 78,483.

This inventionr relates to multiple needle` weft detectors .for looms and it is the general obyect of the invention to overcome the inertia of the weights commonly associated fore they can move forwardly. It is thel principal object ofn the present invention to act upon the weights in suoli a way as to impart motion to them before the yarn of lthe bobbin engagesthe needle detectors, thus sparing the bobbin and yarn the necessity ot starting the weights in motion.

It is a further object of the present invention to begin the forward movement of the weights prior to engagement oit' the detector with the yarn and to give said weights a quickly retarded movement so that said weights will move forwardly at a slower rate than the yarn is advancing. In slowing down troni their starting rates to the condition of rest both the weights and the yarn will move through all rates less than the starting rate, but for the most part they will be traveling at the same rate at different times. There is one time, however, when the rates ot' movement of both parts will be identical at the saine instant and it is a further object ot the invention to have the yarn ot a full bobbin begin to push againsttlie weights at this instant` y Y One` advantage'in the use of'weights in stead of individual springs for the needle detectors is that the weights, in resisting an increase in velocity, aid the needle detectors in penetrating a very thin layer of yarn which they could not penetrate if reliance were had on springs alone. It is desirable, however, to have the resistance offered by the weights effective only as the bobbin nears exhaustion. It isa further object of the invention not only to move the weights as previously stated, but also to provide for their desired action on the needle detectors as exhaustion approaches. This result is accomplished by causing the weights to retard more quickly than the yarn after the instant n when both are traveling at the same rateof speed. As previously stated a full bobbin begins to move the weights atvthe instant when `both are moving at the same rate, and

from this it will be seen thatas the bobbin i diameter decreases the bobbin picks up the weights later and later. A partly exhausted bobbin will therefore pick up the weights-v whcii they are not moving as tast as the bobbin and the `aforesaid action of the weights in resistingvan increase in rate of movement. will have the desired effect on the needle detectors. llhis efiect increases as the diameter ot the bobbin decreases.

`With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescriptionproceeds, my invention resides lin the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims. i

ln the accompanying drawings Vwherein` I have shown a convenient embodiment ot my invention7 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a multiple needle weft detector of the common type showing' my 'Vivention applied thereto, certain parts bcingin sectioin'` l Fig. Qis a top plan view. takeny in `the direction otarrow 2, Fig. 1, i

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3- -3 of Fig. l, 'y

Fig. 4 is a detail view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in the position thev assinne when the lay is 4on liront center, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the rates of speed of the advancing yarn and through a support 13,` holdingthe latter rigidly'in adjusted vertical position with `respect to the stand. The upper endo-t the sup ort is provided with a rib 14 which exten s into a notch 15 formed in the lower 1 lill end ot the needle carrier i6. A ln'acket 1T and tension .spring 1S hold the earrier lt yieldingly in operative relationship with respec-t. to the support 13.

Said carrier lo has` 'lidallly inonnted therein a plurality olt needle detectors l?) having rear varn engaging portionsy 2l) and upper indicating`A portions Q1. Said portionsY 9,1 cooperate with an actuator lever 2;! which is given a downward inotion on detectingl beats olE the laf,v at a tinte when the latter in its extrenie toiwvard position. Said carrier lt is provided with a ,stud 227 passing loosely througrdi ear# El npntanding front said needle carrier. A plurality ot' weights are inonnted l'or VI'ree pivotal niotion on .stud Q3 and have needle engaging portions 26 and weighted portionsy 2T extending forwardly Vtroni the stnd 213. A detector withdrawine' yoke 2S is als-:o freely mounted on Stud for pivotal motion and has a depending arnt if) on one side ol: the carrier lo and a seafood arin 23() on the other side of said carrier. yl`he arin ttl ifs provided with a wing 3l hy ineans'` ot' which the yoke QS niay he swung on its pivotv at they time otE trans'ter to niove forwardly a pin i2 which extends hetween arms` Sl and il() and hehind the upright,- portion ole the needles lt). thus witlnlrawing the needles out ol' the path ot the incoming holihin. The lay E3 carriesl a shuttle Si having :1 hohliin l torined as set forth in Patent No. 1,220,655 and said hohhin is provided with a iilurality ol' spirally arrangedl openings so disposed that at least, one ol thein will receive a needle detector at. substantial exhaustion. So long as lullicient yarn is present the indicating portionsl 2l will he inoved forwardly l'ron'i under the actuator lever and the latter will descend without'j interruption: hut when the layer of yarn is sutliciently thin to require replenishment one or another ol' the needles 2t) will enter a hole in the hohhin l and the corresponding indicating portion 2l will reniain under the actuator lever 22 so that descent of the latter is prevented and the indication given to the repleniwhing mechanism (not Shown). The matter thus tar descrihed is of well known construction and toi-ins no part of iny present invention.

My iniproven'lentn` relate tio means nioving at` a ratc oit speed different Atroni that ot the lay to imparti inotion to weights 25 and in carrying out Iny invention I provide a small stand -ltl havingl a slot` -ll through which extendsv a holt l2 Secured to the support 13. Said stand il) has a rearwardly extending arnt 45 provided with a Stud 11A: on which nionnted a yoked lever 15 U-shaped in Vtorni and having .sides lr6 extending on both sides oi" the arnl 43. Said lever provided with a pin t7 which extends beyond one of the sides 4G to receive the upper end oi' a torsion Spring coiled around .stud 44 and having' the other end thereof lying over a stop 'l!) which .serves the double function ol restraining the lspring and also limiting rearward movement ot the lever l.

A second pin 5l) extends hetwecn the arms of the lever J5 and has` pivoted thereon the rear end of a link 5l having the forward end forlned with a slot 52 which receives a Stud 53 secured to the arni Ztl. As shown in Fig. l the studs .4-7 and 5U are spaced apartv horizontally an ap]ne iahle distance in order to produce a variation in the rates of travel between the hobhin .li and the weights The lay Z525 is provided with a Shuttle, hinder :Bil which has riveted thereto a elip 55 havingl a forwardly extending slotted arnl 51.3 and hunter 5T is held rigidly in adjusted position on the arin 5() hy means of holt Said hunter 5T has a substantially vertical forward face and is so placed as to engagil the stud l when the lay advances.

ln operation the lay 353:3 moves forwardly and haekwardly in the loom and on each forward Stroke hunter 5T engages the stud ALT at a time when the surface ot a full hohA bin is spaced a lshort distance hehind the, ends 12o olf needle detectors 19 as shown in full lines in Fig. l. As the lay advances alter engagement; ot the stud and hunter lever l5 is inoved about stud 4l hut heeause ot the fact that stud :30 is in front of a vertical line passing through stud ll stud .W will retard more quickly than the hunter 5T. rThrough link nl. stud ."Zi and arnl ill. .stud 5t) impartsv motion to the weights .i and .sets the saule in motion, thus overcoming their inertia. lerause ol' the 'l'acti that the la v has heen retarded at a slower rate than the .stud all the liohoin will gain on the needle.`A lll and aty soule point in the advance movement of the, llolvhin the latter will engage the detertors. 'lhis point preferably chosen when the weights if and needles lll and the hohhins are all moving at the sante rate ol' speed and is indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. l. ln this way control ol' the weights is transferred troni the hunter to the hohhin while the weightsy are in motion and when the dillerenee in the rates is at a iuininnnn. This condition prel'erallly exists when the. bohhin is full and will have the .saine surface therco't' subjected to repeated impacts with the detectors.

As the lay continues` to advance the parte niove to the position .shown in ltig. l and the detectorsare subjected to slight pressure due to the weights but the yarn is not required to initiate n'loveinent ol' the weights The action just described spares the yarn of any wear and abrasion which would he caused by overcoming the inertia of the weights when the l'iobhin is full, but it is found desirable to have the detectors strike the yarn a slight blow as exhaustion approaches so that the detectors will penetrate lift) a very thin layer ofyarn insuiiicient for continued weaving but sufficiently strong to move the needles forwardly unless the same were resisted in their forward movement. It will be seen that as the layer of yarn on the bobbin becomes thinner and thinner due to continued weaving the time of Contact between the surface of the yarn and the detectors will be delayed more and more beyond the point where the weights and the bobbin are moving at the same rate of speed. Under these conditions a partly exhausted bobbin will be moving at a somewhat faster rate of speed than the weights and when impact taires place between the bobbin and the detectors the ditl'erence in relative speed will have the effect of a slight blow on the part oi' the needle detectors. that the intensity of the blow increases as the diameter oi' the bobbin decreases, a desirable condition, but that it is accomplished by mechanism which spares a full bobbin undesirable abrasion and wear.

Fig. 5 illust ates diagramrmatically the rates of movement of the bobbin and the weights. In said ligure the full lines indicate the position corresponding to Fig. l with bunter 57 engaging pin 47 and weights 25 to the right. pin 50 moves downwardly along arc C, giving connector 5l a movement which retards more quickly than the bobbin and bunter. The gap between the bobbin B and the end 2() of the needles 19 will therefore close up and the bobbin will overtake and engage the detectors while thewweiglits are in motion and at a time when the detectors and weights are moving at a rate only slightly less than that of the advancing bobbin.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a multiple needle weft detector having weights for each detector so constructed that the weights are set in motion and their inertia overcome before the yarn engages the detectors and that as the diameter oit the bobbin is reduced by weaving the impact between the yarn and the detectors is accompanied by a slight blow due to the fact that the bobbin isr moving at a slightly faster rate than the needles.

Having thus described my invention it will be apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit It will be seen i As the `bobbin advances and scope of the invention, and Ido not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is: y i

l. In a weft detector for looms, a yarn engaging detector member, weighted means to hold said member' yieldingly in position to be engaged by a bobbin, means acting prior to engagement between the bobbin and the detector member to 4set the weighted means 'in motion and give the same a movement rloom having a lay, a detector member,v a device .interposed between the lay and the detector member and moving about a pivot, a pair oi spaced elements on said device, one element lying on one side of the pivot of the device adjacent the lay 'to be engaged by the latter and another element lying on the other side of the pivot and remote from the lay, means on the lay to engage the element adjacent the lay, and connec-` a vtions between the element remote from the. lay and the detector member, the element adjacent the lay when engaged by the means on the lay moving at a greater rate of motion than the element remote from the lay, both ot said elements moving about the pivot or" the device as a center. y

3. In a weft detector for a loom having a lay, a detector member, a device pivoted i to move about a fixed center, front and rear elements moving with the device, said elements lying on opposite sides of a vertical y V line passing through the pivot of the device, and connections between the front element and the detector, the rear element being engaged by the lay as the latter advances, the Y 4forward movementofithe rear element be ing at a greaterrate than the forward movef y ment of the front element. f

In. testimony whereof I have hereunto atiixed my signature.

WALTER H. WAKEFIELD. 

